Strength for Today- "When Freedom Calls " - Galatians 5:13.
Freedom is expressed in many ways, but true freedom is a Holy Spirit driven conscienceless, that only God, through Jesus Christ, can govern. And to this, our Savior said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32.
Because of Jesus’ finished work of the cross, freedom, by faith, became priceless. and when it’s present life, even amid life’s circumstances, there’s an unspeakable joy that can be enjoyed. However, when it’s absent, it doesn’t matter how many laws are passed:
- Life can never be enjoyed to the fullest,
- It can only be endured.
Even though millions have died throughout the world in freedom’s defense, and though the praise of freedom is proudly displayed; yet the true essence of freedom has been tragically misunderstood. I think the difficulty lies with our failure to distinguish the difference between:
- Freedom and
- Liberty.
- Freedom, from the point of God is a gift. It is grace that only God can give. There'’ no freedom to be who God means us to be, that is:
- No freedom from sin or
- Satan’s alluring tactics of this world,
Except being a slave to Jesus Christ.
- Whereas, Christian liberty might be an abusive teaching, which can lead to libertinism. Liberalism is the culprit that can cause local churches to split, an idea from which Paul recoils in horror
When he said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” – Romans 6: 1-2. Therefore, liberty is an occasion to the flesh, and can never set us free from our fallen sinful impulses.
The desire for unqualified freedom, (Isaiah 14:12-14), caused the fall of Lucifer and the destruction of the angels that sinned. These sought freedoms to do as they willed, and to get it they threw away the beautiful liberty that meant freedom to do the will of God. And humanity, because of Adam and Eve’s disobedient act, followed them in their tragic moral blunder.
Therefore, freedom in Christ is not for the purpose of indulging in the “lust” of this world, but through Him to serve on another in love.
Victory in Jesus
I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory, how He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me. I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning. Then I repented of my sins and won the victory
Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever, He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood
He loved me 'ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing. How He made the lame to walk again and 'caused the blind to see. And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit." and somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.
Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD